Question:
Is loss of 70% excess body weight a guideline?

I read that one can expect to lose 70% of excess body weight after WLS, but it seems to me that a majority of the people who post on this site have lost a great deal more than 70%. Is there a trick to this (diet and exersize specifics) or is it an individual issue?    — cherryswitch (posted on February 7, 2003)

February 7, 2003
You pegged it -- changing your diet, and exercising, will bring you the best results and help you KEEP the weight off. But a lot depends on how much you had to lose to begin with, and what kind of other health issues you have. Also, most of us who post are less than a year out (thank you to the long-termers who post, too -- I wish there were more of you here). I believe that 70 percent figure comes from the 1991 NIH study that measured how much excess weight was still off after *three* years. So, that means you're seeing a lot of posts from folks who haven't hit that three-year period yet, all of whom are going to have to be vigilant about the lifestyle changes in order to keep ALL the weight off. And sadly, a lot of people struggling with the surgery just don't hang out here as much (understandably). Still, the 70 percent figure is a heckuva lot better than any other diet method out there -- hands down!
   — Suzy C.

February 7, 2003
Remember that to get that 70% figure, some will lose MORE< some will lose less. Losing it is not usually the problem. KEEPING it off is the hard part. Just like before. There are certain things that help keep us being successful. But largely, they are not what didn't work before. There's a new set of things that we can add to our "tool box" to help us over the humps.
   — vitalady

February 8, 2003
My surgeon said 70%. Thankfully I'm at 84% (21 months post op today). I had hoped for 100% yet at least for the last three months I'm maintaining my weight.
   — Danmark